U.S. Rig Count is up 426 rigs from last year's count of 431, with oil rigs up 345, gas rigs up 79, and miscellaneous rigs up 2. Canadian Rig Count is up 59 rigs from last year's count of 40, with oil rigs up 21, gas rigs up 39, and miscellaneous rigs down 1.

Schlumberger Announces First-Quarter 2017 Results: - Revenue of $6.9 billion decreased 3% sequentially - GAAP EPS, including Cameron integration charges of $0.05 per share, was $0.20 - EPS, excluding Cameron integration charges, was $0.25 - Cash flow from operations was $656 million - Quarterly cash dividend of $0.50 per share was approved

Total petroleum deliveries in March moved up 0.2 percent from March 2016 to average nearly 19.7 million barrels per day. These were the highest March deliveries in nine years, since 2008. For the first quarter of 2017, total domestic petroleum deliveries, a measure of U.S. petroleum demand, were up 0.4 percent compared with the first quarter of 2016 to average 19.5 million barrels per day. These were the highest first quarter deliveries since 2008. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) April 7, 2017 report, the U.S. added 98,000 jobs in March. In addition, the unemployment rate (4.5 percent) and the number of unemployed persons (7.2 million) were down from prior month and the prior year.

Exxon Mobil is seeking permission from the U.S. government for approval to resume drilling around the Black Sea with a Russian partner, state-owned Rosneft, according to a person familiar with the matter.

U.S. Rig Count is up 407 rigs from last year's count of 440, with oil rigs up 332, gas rigs up 73, and miscellaneous rigs up 2. Canadian Rig Count is up 78 rigs from last year's count of 40, with oil rigs up 30 and gas rigs up 48.

“Consistent with its robust performance in recent years, once again economic growth in Kenya was solid in 2016, coming in at an estimated 5.9%—a five-year high. This has been supported by a stable macroeconomic environment, low oil prices, earlier favorable harvest, rebound in tourism, strong remittance inflows, and an ambitious public investment drive,” said Diarietou Gaye, World Bank Country Director for Kenya. “Nonetheless, Kenya is currently facing headwinds that are likely to dampen GDP growth in 2017.”

Peak electricity demand has grown nearly 13% over the past two years as a growing middle class seeks new services, such as air conditioning, which continue to place higher demands on the system. Over the next 25 years, energy demand is expected to more than double as a result.

U.S. Rig Count is up 396 rigs from last year's count of 443, with oil rigs up 318, gas rigs up 76, and miscellaneous rigs up 2. Canadian Rig Count is up 91 rigs from last year's count of 41, with oil rigs up 34 and gas rigs up 57.

Speaking to reporters following a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, the official described India as one of Iran's good customers, but stressed that New Delhi cutting its oil purchase from Iran would not cause any trouble for Tehran as the country has more demand for its oil than can produce.

China claims almost all of a large stretch of sea between Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam and Japan. The trouble is, between them, these seven other states all do too.

"Iran needs billions of dollars of investment to boost crude oil production and natural gas capacity," said Mehdi Varzi, a former official at state-run National Iranian Oil Company and now an independent consultant.

The light, sweet crude oil contract for May settled above $50/bbl on the New York market Mar. 30 while the May Brent contract settled above $52.90/bbl in London. Prices edged lower on both markets on Mar. 31.

The world’s largest listed oil company by output has spent the past four months trumpeting agreements to buy oil from Egypt, Libya and Iraqi Kurdistan, drilling exploration wells in southern Iraq and considering opportunities in Lebanon, as it chases deals to fuel its fledgling international expansion.

U.S. Rig Count is up 374 rigs from last year's count of 450, with oil rigs up 300, gas rigs up 72, and miscellaneous rigs up 2. Canadian Rig Count is up 106 rigs from last year's count of 49, with oil rigs up 44, gas rigs up 62, and miscellaneous rigs unchanged.

The project has significant public importance, as it will give an impetus to economic and social development in the Russian Arctic. The Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area is home to some of Gazprom’s key fields, which are expected to provide the bulk of Russia’s natural gas in the long term. To ensure efficient field development, the transport infrastructure should be expanded accordingly.